The Legend of the Télémaque

But where has the cargo carried by the Télémaque disappeared to? The locals of Quillebeuf still ask themselves this question…. On 3rd January 1790, the Télémaque, a 120-ton brig, sank off Quillebeuf, taking with her, so the story goes, the fortune of Louis XVI and the treasures of the abbeys that lie along the Seine. The wreck was never found, despite any number of valiant attempts, the most recent of which took place in 1939. What is certain is that the ship really did exist. She was built at Le Val de la Haye near Rouen in 1772, at the shipyard owned by the Thibaut brothers. The Télémaque arrived late at Quillebeuf and misjudged her manoeuvre. The ship ran aground, full sail ahead. She swung over to starboard and part of her load fell into the sea. The legend of the Télémaque was born…